Source: United Nations (video statements)
A life-long humanitarian, Matthias Schmale has borne witness to a number of seismic moments in world history. Currently United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, he is overseeing efforts to help Ukrainians prepare for a fourth winter at war.
“The longer this lasts, the more the resilience will go down, the more the psychological damage will take hold […] There are nights where I lie in bed thinking, why can’t this nightmare for civilians end?”
Ukrainians have endured four years of hellish conflict that continues to devastate civilian lives and infrastructure, leaving 36 percent of the population in need of aid. In this episode, Matthias Schmale looks back on a long career of humanitarian service, reflects on the deep scars of war and explains why daily life in Kiev can be both heaven and hell.
[00:00] Introduction
[01:01] Experiencing “Heaven and Hell” in Ukraine
[03:03] Do not romanticize resilience
[08:00] Navigating loss and the hard road to healing
[11:04] Hope and reality
[12:36] Winter as a weapon
[14:41] Declining humanitarian funding
[15:49] Hope persists despite dark times
[21:50] What keeps Matthias awake at night
[26:13] Reflections from UNRWA – then and now
[29:49] Losing colleagues in Gaza
[31:42] Clarifying a controversial interview
[35:26] From missionary kid to humanitarian
[37:27] Growing up in Apartheid South Africa
[40:34] Witnessing the fall of the Berlin Wall
[42:16] Closing remarks
Listen to more Awake at Night episodes: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwoDFQJEq_0b6hu1e8oxsch9W0D7vkNqt
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About Awake at Night
Hosted by Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, the podcast ‘Awake at Night’ is an in-depth interview series focusing on remarkable United Nations staff members who dedicate their career to helping people in parts of the world where they have the hardest lives – from war zones and displacement camps to areas hit by disasters and the devastation of climate change.